And what happens when the window washing industry becomes automated?

New York City is full of peculiar phenomena—rickety fire escapes; 100-year-old subway tunnels;air conditioners propped perilously into window frames—that can strike fear into the heart of even the toughest city denizen. But should they? Every month, writer Ashley Fetters will be exploring—and debunking—these New York-specific fears, letting you know what you should actually worry about, and what anxieties you can simply let slip away.

Twenty-eight floors up in the new One World Trade Center, just a matter of months after the magazine I worked for had moved in, I stood transfixed alongside a few colleagues as a pair of window washers on a hanging platform sprayed and soaped our floor-to-ceiling window. As they finished up, one pressed a switch, and with a terrifying lurch and a collective involuntary noise from us, the peanut gallery, the stage descended down to the next floor.

“Shockingly analog,” one coworker muttered as the window cleaners disappeared from view.

If there’s a No. 1 source of secondhand anxiety for New Yorkers, it’s the unmistakable sight of skyscraper window washers, out in the open air, doing their jobs while suspended hundreds of feet above ground by a system of cables. On a day with even a slight breeze, it’s hard not to imagine a worst-case scenario. How often does the unthinkable … actually happen? And how is it prevented?

By Adam Higginbotham for The New Yorker

The world above the fortieth floor is an almost silent one, isolated and exhilarating.

Illustration by Guy Billout

Shortly after dawn one December morning, Bob Menzer rode the freight elevator to the forty-fifth floor of the Hearst Tower, on Eighth Avenue in Manhattan, and opened the door to the roof. The weather was clear and cold; five hundred feet above the street, the rooftop was silent except for the hum of giant air-conditioning fans. Menzer, a soft-spoken, bearded fifty-four-year-old with a nervous laugh, narrow blue eyes, and a thick shock of brown hair, was the rigging foreman of the tower’s window-cleaning crew. He had risen at 3 a.m. to travel to Hearst from his home in Queens, and clocked in at five. He wore dark-blue overalls, a yellow fall-protection harness, and heavy gloves. Carrying a checklist on a clipboard, he was joined by Ron Brown, fifty-eight, and Janusz Kasparek, fifty-five. Together they prepared to go “over the side” in the basket of the most complex window-washing rig in New York. Menzer chuckled as he showed me the machine for the first time. “It’s a little monster,” he said.

Chelsea Window Cleaning

Chelsea Window Cleaning is a full-service window cleaning company servicing all of New York City and the outer boroughs since 1986. We are New York City’s upper story window cleaning specialists.

Our professional window cleaning staff is trained to provide the safest and most cost-effective method of window cleaning to ensure the highest quality of service possible for all commercial window cleaning and residential window cleaning needs. We provide services to building managers, facility management companies, retail stores, contractors, architects, property owners and tenants.

Our staff is expertly trained in the boatswain chair, belt and ladder work and our lift truck enables us to professionally clean those hard to reach or fixed upper floor windows. Chelsea Window Cleaning also provides removal of hard water stains, mineral deposits and construction debris.

Why Professional Window Washers?

Having clean, sparkling windows at your place of business shows visitors and customers that you care about cleanliness. Dirt-streaked, smeary windows can reflect on the whole building’s appearance, both from the outside and especially from the inside of the facility.

American Maintenance & Supplies will dispatch our professional window cleaning crews to your facility ready to make your windows sparkle. We can handle any job, big or small; clean a few windows in your building, or hundreds; on one floor or a high-rise. We can formulate a window cleaning plan to address your specific needs, whether you need your windows cleaned twice a week or twice a year. Your satisfaction is guaranteed.

All of our window washing professionals are trained in the use of the equipment needed for the job and the procedures used to complete it. They will make sure your windows are cleaned properly and in a timely manner, so as to minimize the disruption of normal day-to-day business. Our cleaning crew will ensure they clean up afterward, so the only thing left behind are clean, sparkling windows.

Why Professional Window Washers?

Most of us don’t think about it often, but regular window cleaning is advisable for several reasons. Of course, the number one reason that comes to mind is the ability to enjoy the scenery and get a clean, clear view of the outdoors from inside.

Over time your windows accumulate dirt, pollen, dust, oil, spider webs, bird droppings, and other debris that can give your building a dirty appearance and block out natural light. A professional window cleaning company like American Maintenance & Supplies uses the best cleaning products and methods in the industry to completely remove the dirt and debris from your windows and improve the appearance of your building inside and out.

If your windows are not cleaned regularly by professionals, the dirt and grime builds up and can cause the window panes to get scratched more easily. Even after cleaning, windows can still have streaks, if not cleaned properly. Professional window washers have the proper equipment, products and materials to do the job right.

Dust and pollens are often in the air, settling on windows. Add rain, snow or wind, and the streaks, smears and grime continue to accumulate. Consistent and regular window washing by professionals will ensure that your windows remain clean and last longer. Professional window washing is actually an investment to prevent damage to windows due to dust and debris. You may save money in the long run.

Get Professional Window Washing Services with American Maintenance & Supplies

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Chelsea Window Cleaning

Commercial Window Cleaning, High Rise Window Cleaning, Professional Window Cleaning, Fully Insured - Free Estimates Chelsea Window Cleaning is a full-service window washing company servicing all of New York City and the outer boroughs since 1986. We are New York City’s upper story window cleaning specialists ...